Work
by imaginationandlights
Summary: Robin battles with herself, and Barney. Could this ever work? And will she ever even figure out what 'this' is? M for some language and adult themes.
1. Prologue

_Disclaimer:_ This story is purely fictional. I don't own any of the characters/the programme itself or any of the storylines shown in the show.

_Note:_ Regular chapters will be much longer than the prologue.

**Prologue**

It was stupid. It was wrong. It wouldn't work.

_It wouldn't work._

The words replayed in my head and over and over. It wouldn't work, I was sure of that. It never would. I was stupid for even thinking of it, wondering about it.

I was stupid for _wanting_ it.

I stared into the bottom of the wine glass, still. Watching the dark fluid swirl under the movement of my hand. I couldn't shake the feelings, the _want._

_The need._

It had come out of nowhere. At least I thought it had. Maybe it had been here all along, lingering in the background?

_Maybe._

I didn't understand it. I wasn't sure I ever would. This wasn't me; it wasn't me for so many reasons. _Hundreds. _

He wasn't what I ever wanted. He wasn't anything like other men I had been with. I knew him for everything he was. All of his flaws, the deceit – _I knew it all. _Yet, I couldn't stop thinking about him.

_Us._

The word haunted me. There was no _us_, _I_ had already made sure of that.

* * *

"Scherbatsky," the name followed by the clicking of fingers in front of my face shook me out of my daze. "Scherbatsky, stay with me." I looked up at the man before me. I still didn't take in what he was saying, deep down I knew I wouldn't want to hear it anyway. I looked at Barney as he continued to talk, _waffle_ even. His greying suit was perfect as usual, the scotch in his hand almost empty _as usual. _"So, what do you think?" He finished eventually, gaining my attention again as he sipped his drink.

"Yeah." I said unsure of what had even been said. "Yeah, great." I forced a tight lipped smile, noticing Barney's raised eyebrow as I did so.

"So you'll have sex with me?" He smirked, leaning across the table slightly in his usual manner. He retreated almost immediately, as if he too noticed the awkward tension that had just filled the air. I swallowed, forcing yet another smile as I shook my head.

Barney stared into his scotch before pulling back the perfectly prim sleeve of his suit jacket. "Where's Ted? I thought he'd be here by now."

I knew it was small talk.

"Have you heard from Quinn?" I asked, regretting it immediately. I watched Barney's face harden slightly, as he fixed his tie uncomfortably - his eyes meeting mine. They dropped to the table once more as he spoke.

"No," he swirled the almost empty cup just as I had minutes previous. He thought for a moment before meeting my gaze once more. "I don't think she'd even want to hear my voice after-" He paused.

And there it was again. _Tension._

"-I'm gonna go call Ted." He said what felt like hours later. Again, I exchanged a fake smile as he pulled his phone from his pocket and disappeared out of McLarens.

I cursed myself inwardly for bringing _that_ up.


	2. Chapter One Flashback

_Disclaimer: _Purely fictional.

**One Month Previous**

"I think I'm in love with Robin." The words fell out of Barney's mouth before he had the chance to stop them. He swallowed hard, judging his friends reaction.

"I knew it! I knew it!" Lilly exclaimed, her eyes wide. "Yes!" Barney shook his head, narrowing his eyes slightly. This wasn't a cause for celebration.

_It just wasn't._

"Don't tell anyone." He warned knowing that it probably was no use. Marshall would know by the end of the day, he was sure of it. He sighed loudly, running his hand through the back of his short blonde hair.

"I won't." She shook her head innocently before continuing. "_You _will." Barney watched as she raised her eyebrows almost seductively. He knew she was loving this. He wished he could feel the same.

_But he wasn't. He wasn't loving it, at all._

"What? _No_, no Lilly – nobody can know about this. _No one"._ He emphasized, taking a sip of his scotch.

"Barney, _Robin_." She said simply – but it wasn't simple. Nothing about this was simple. He shouldn't feel like this, he couldn't. Not now, not when it seemed like everything was falling into place.

_It was._

"What about Robin?" Barney responded nonchalantly. He watched Lilly's face fall. "I can't tell her. What am I meant to say Lilly? 'Oh hey Robin, by the way I know I'm engaged and I know you'll never feel the same but I love you. Barney out!' C'mon Lilly."

Lilly hadn't thought about Quinn, Barney's fiancé.

"If you even _think_ you love Robin, you can't possibly love Quinn as much as you think you do."

_She was right_, and Barney knew it.

"So, what do I do?" He asked genuinely unsure. Barney had never been in a situation like this before. Barney didn't _'love'_. Well, he hadn't. The thought of it had repulsed him once. Now, here he was not only finding himself _in_ love, but engaged. "This isn't me, Lil." He spoke on realisation.

"It is, it's the new you. The real you."

"Lilly, please." Barney scoffed, swallowing the rich alcohol liquid once more.

He would never admit defeat.

Lilly shrugged. Sighing, she leaned forward placing a hand on her friend's clothed knee. "You need to decide." Again, she spoke as if it were easy. As if it were simple to let go of someone who had finally proved that love _can_ be fun. _Quinn._ As if it were simple to tell your closest friend that you couldn't stop thinking about them, that what you once had with Quinn, you wanted with her. _Robin._

There was silence throughout Barney's apartment. His once bachelor pad that he now shared. "Quinn's –" Barney thought. "She's Quinn". He sighed loudly without a thought. It was the best way he could explain it. Explain the fact she, in a way had changed him.

"Do you love her?" Lilly questioned immediately. She watched Barney's Adams-apple bob as he swallowed. He sighed, standing up as he did so.

"I did Lilly, I really did. I mean, I think I did it's just – Robin and I are-"

"One person." Lilly interrupted with a smile. "The same person?" Barney couldn't hide the smile on his face either. Lilly was right. He and Robin were exactly alike. They enjoyed the same things, shared the same interests and feared the same things.

_Everything._

"How long?" Lilly asked causing Barney's heart rate to quicken slightly. He knew she wouldn't like the answer.

"A while." He said hopeful. Hopeful that Lilly would drop it, that she wouldn't pursue the answer – but that wasn't Lilly.

"How long Stinson?"

Barney groaned inwardly before speaking. "Since-

"_No" _Lilly interjected. "Barney, you have got to be kidding me."

_He wasn't kidding._ He thought about the time he and Robin had gotten too drunk. The time the two of them stumbled into her and Ted's apartment. The time he woke up naked, Robin by his side. The week after that time when Robin said she felt _something_ for him. The time he was afraid. The time _he_ rejected her.

"I just can't stop thinking _what if_ you know? What if I hadn't met Quinn? What if I wasn't engaged right now? What if when she told me that she thought we could try, I had of said yes? Maybe-" He paused as he sat back down, yet raising his hands unsure. "I don't know." He finished frustrated.

Barney had pictured it, more than once. Him and Robin together. In bed. On a date. Holding hands. Kissing. Getting married.

Marriage. He wanted that now.

_Sort of._

"You can't jump into things with what if's Barney, trust me." Lily knew that better than anyone. Despite her and Marshall getting engaged, eventually she had felt the need to deal with her own 'what ifs'.

Her career.

Barney bit his bottom lip, looking at his friend in the eye he nodded almost nervously. "I can't, can I?"

Lily squeezed his upper arm in agreement as she shot him her famous half smile. As if on que, the door swung open and there – stood Quinn.


End file.
